(CNN) - If former National Security Agency contractor and leaker Edward Snowden is prepared to plead guilty, Attorney General Eric Holder is prepared to let the Justice Department talk to his lawyers about how he can return home to the U.S.

The Justice Department represents the whole U.S. government, including the NSA.

"If they were to give him some sort of deal that involved probation or immunity, I just can't conceive that the Justice Department's client, the NSA, would sit still for that," said CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin. Toobin has said in the past that he does not view Snowden as a hero, and believe he should be in prison.

"A guilty plea to some sort of crime, and some sort of prison time would seem to me absolutely indispensable in the deal," said Toobin.

For more of our interview with Jeffrey Toobin, check out the video above.

soundoff(No Responses)

About This Show

The Lead with Jake Tapper draws not only on Tapper’s deep knowledge of politics and national issues, but also seeks to examine and advance stories across a wide range of topics that demonstrate his own curiosities and interests. Compelling headlines come from around the country and the globe, from politics to money, sports to popular culture, based on news drivers of the day.